


Over a Cup of Coffee

by Lucid_x_Dreamer



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: 5+1 Things, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Coffee Shops, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-03
Updated: 2018-01-03
Packaged: 2019-02-27 21:32:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,271
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13257057
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lucid_x_Dreamer/pseuds/Lucid_x_Dreamer
Summary: The five times Keith met Lance at their local coffee shop to ask for advice, and the one time Lance asked Keith for some as well.





	Over a Cup of Coffee

**Author's Note:**

  * For [GemmaRose](https://archiveofourown.org/users/GemmaRose/gifts).



> Hey everyone! So this is my gift to GemmaRose for the VLD Winter Gift Exchange 2017! I'm a little late (and I feel really bad for that haha) but life wanted to kick my ass during the last few months of 2017, so I was struggling man. I did have this done earlier though... But enough excuses! I hope you like your gift Gemma~ I got carried away writing this hehe

_The five times Keith met Lance at their local coffee shop to ask for advice, and the one time Lance asked Keith for some as well._

 

* * *

 

** 1 **

 

    “I just don’t understand,” Keith sighed wetly, fingers carding through his hair as he leaned on the table above the steaming mug of coffee. He sniffed once and rubbed at his eyes, “I haven’t been acting any differently than I’ve been before. I don’t know what made him suddenly want to stop being friends. We’ve known each other since middle school, Lance- fucking _years_ ago. I just… it makes no sense.”

    Lance frowned and rested his chin on one of his palms as he looked worriedly at Keith, whose eyes were cast downwards. Keith was shaking, either from the chills still lingering after coming into the coffee shop from the snowy outdoors, or from trying to stop the tears from forming in his eyes. Whatever caused his trembling, Lance knew that he hated seeing Keith in his weakest form.

Keith wasn’t this frail, feeble person who broke down over insignificant details (if anything, Lance saw himself as that type of person). Rather, Keith was strong and durable. If he fell down, he got up again without bothering to even tend to his injuries. But there he was, trying not to cry in front of Lance and shivering like a chihuahua that just came out of the bath.

    “I don’t really get it either. If you didn’t do anything differently, there’s literally no reason for him to suddenly up and ditch you. But, if you want me to tell the truth, I didn’t really think Emmett was a great person to begin with,” Lance spoke honestly, watching as Keith looked up from the table to search Lance’s eyes in confusion.

    “What do you mean?”

    “Look, Keith,” Lance started, still unsure if he was saying the right thing, “Sure, Emmett has been there for a lot of shit. But he wasn’t totally _there_ , y’know?”

    When Keith continued to stare blankly at Lance, he simply sighed and tried again, “For example, when we all went to our high school reunion last spring. We all went together: me, you, Hunk, Shay and Emmett. But was Emmett there when that other dick Marc started harrassing you about coming out as gay? No, no he wasn’t.”

    “But Emmett never said anything homophobic...”

    “He never had to. He could’ve stood up for you then, like we all did. But when I went searching for him after the whole thing blew over and we were getting ready to leave, he was hanging out with this other group of people, laughing it up while getting wasted and high as fuck.

    “I even told him about what happened to you after we dropped you off at Shiro’s place. All he did was shrug and say something along the lines of, ‘Marc is entitled to his own opinion’ instead of also defending you. There’s a bunch of other instances that I can think of Emmett being an asshole, but I’m not really sure if what I’m saying can convince you to have the same sort of opinion about him as I do… y’know, since you’ve known each other longer and shit,” Lance waved a hand dismissively and laughed nervously. He didn’t bother to look at Keith’s expression, too terrified of what he thought of him after basically dragging his recently ex-friend.

    But when he heard Keith shuffle in his chair and sniff a couple more times, Lance took a chance peek at his friend, immediately turning completely in his own seat to face him properly.

    Keith was crying. Full on tears cascading down his cheeks, no matter how many times he tried to wipe them away. Keith was still trying to suppress his sobs, but his hiccups were obvious despite him covering his mouth with a sweater paw. Lance’s worry was heightened, and he grabbed the stack of napkins from the napkin holder on their table to frantically offer them to Keith.

    “Shh, hey, Keith, it’s okay- I’m sorry,” Lance whispered, trying to calm his friend who was blowing his nose in a rough napkin rather loudly. Lance looked around at the rest of the people in the coffee shop upon remembering that they were still in public, and he grew even more panicked when he saw a number of people staring at them.

    “Hey, Keith, do you want to get out of here? Get some fresh air? Shit, I’m so sorry buddy, I didn’t mean to-”

    “No, Lance, I’m fine,” Keith cut Lance off, a hand gently grabbing his wrist, “This… is fine. I think that I sort of knew this whole time?” Keith sniffed once more and smiled sadly at Lance.

    “You did?”

    “I mean, I noticed those times where he’d prefer to just disappear rather than stay around whenever something sorta tense came up. And whenever I tried to talk to him about personal stuff, he’d somehow be able to change the subject to something else entirely, as if he didn’t want to deal with any of it. I think I knew this whole time, but hearing the truth being told as simple as black and white was just, I dunno… painful? Yeah, it hurts.”

    Lance’s eyebrows crinkled upwards in concern, “I’m still sorry, man. I didn’t mean to make you cry or anything. And I just kinda preached all this shit to you when you just came from ending an eight-year long friendship. So, let me feel bad about this.”

    Keith laughed genuinely, “No, seriously Lance. Don’t feel guilty or anything. Sure, it’s pretty embarrassing for me to be a grown ass adult crying in a coffee shop with a bunch of other people around, but I needed that wake up call. Emmett was a bitch.”

    “Yeahhh, he definitely was a dick in disguise,” Lance smiled, “Thank cheese his nudes were leaked.”

    “Holy shit, but that actually happened one time,” Keith giggled, igniting a strange flame in the pit of Lance’s stomach.

    “Senior year of high school. He didn’t even care when he got suspended for like, weeks. I’m still surprised that his punishment wasn’t worse. Maybe they decided how long his suspension would last based off the length of his-”

    “Oh my god Lance, shut up,” Keith snorted and released Lance’s wrist from his grip to cover his smile with both hands. The flame in Lance’s stomach flared for a moment, and he laughed along with Keith’s giggles.

    As soon as their laughter died down, Keith held his still warm mug of coffee in his hands and brought it close to his lips, “Thanks, Lance. I’m really glad to know that you’re my friend. Like, a _real_ friend. Thanks.”

    _Friend. Friend, huh? Yeah, friend._

    “No problem, man. If you wanna talk about any sorta shit like this again just hit me up and we can meet up! It’s better for you to let it out than keep it in. Y’know, like-”

    “Lance, I swear, if you’re going to make another sexual joke I’m going to officially unfriend you.”

    Lance placed a hand on his chest and gasped dramatically, “I can’t believe you! After we just had a deep conversation about friendship, you want to throw what we have away!” Lance slumped ‘gracefully’ onto the table, faking a sob as he hid his face in his elbow.

    “Lance- oh my god stop, you’re being embarrassing!”

    “Noooooo, you wanna unfriend meeeee!!”

    “Holy _shit_ ,” Keith wheezed, “Lance, stop! I can’t fucking breathe- ohhhh my _god_.”

    Keith continued to laugh, his entire body shaking with each suppressed snicker. His smile was bright and warm and genuine and happy…

    Lance smiled to himself, “ _Yeah, he looks better this way._ ”

    “Alright then, fiiiine. Wanna finish up our coffee then get out of here, Mullet?” Lance sat upright in his seat and pointed a lazy finger at Keith’s lukewarm mug, still untouched.

    Keith huffed, yet a smile still lingered on his face, “How many times have I told you not to call me that? But, sure.”

    The rest of the time they spent at the coffee shop was filled with harmless banter and jokes. The mood was light and happy, definitely better in comparison to the tense and more depressing atmosphere they had going on just moments before. Lance liked these moments. Loved these moments. Didn’t want them to end.

    But when he and Keith said their goodbyes and went their separate ways after leaving the coffee shop, Lance realized that happy moments still come to an end. Sure, you can live in them and allow yourself to forget the bad stuff, but sadness always comes around.

    Lance let out a sigh and watched as his puff of breath completely disappear into the cold. He leaned his head back to stare at the grey clouds blanketing the sky and bit his bottom lip.

    _If he needs to vent to me about shit, I’ll be there for him. I’ll always be fucking there for him._

    The snow crunching beneath Lance’s boots as he walked home distracted him from the loud thumping in his chest.

 

* * *

 

**2**

 

**Angsty Emo Anime Character:**

hey lance

where are you right now?

**Me:**

uhhhhhh at the cafe

why???

you want me to get you smth??

**Angsty Emo Anime Character:**

can i meet you there?

i’m like two blocks away

please

**Me:**

woah okay sure but

are you okay man??? you seem kinda freaked

**Angsty Emo Anime Character:**

lowkey about to be sent into a major panic attack

*highkey

**Me:**

oh shit okay

try to breathe man and be careful crossing the street

**Angsty Emo Anime Character:**

yeah

thanks

 

    Lance frowned as he shoved his phone in his pocket and took his drink from the counter. He took a seat at an empty table closer to the door, so that he could met Keith as soon as he walked through it.

    Lance took a glance out the window beside him to watch the large snowflakes falling from the sky. If Keith was willing to go walking around in this sort of weather, that meant it was incredibly important and he really needed someone to be in his court. But why was he walking outside in the snow in the first place? And why did he ask to see Lance?

The questions swarming in Lance’s head just made him even more concerned, especially with the amount of time it was taking Keith to get to the coffee shop. It doesn’t take _too_ long to walk two blocks, right? Even accommodating the snow…

    The hot cup of coffee still held in Lance’s ungloved hands helped to ground himself with his own anticipation, anxiously waiting for a ‘mulleted’ man to be visible through the shop windows.

    And as soon as he saw a glimpse of that unmistakable red scarf and jet black hair, Lance stood up quickly in his seat, making it screech backwards loudly.

    “Keith,” Lance started when Keith swung the coffee shop’s door open rather harshly. As Keith walked over to where Lance stood, Lance took in his friend’s disheveled appearance. Large snowflakes stuck to Keith’s hair, scarf and coat, and were already melting to make him wet and cold. His face and ears were red, and his eyes darted around frantically while he breathed heavily, most likely from his running around outside in the cold. And when Lance saw the dried tear stains on Keith’s cheeks, he was finally reminded to step into action.

    “Wait, shit- here,” Lance plopped his coffee cup on the table grabbed at the stack of napkins on it, quickly dabbing at Keith’s hair and face to dry him off. “What happened man? Why are you out and about; I thought you didn’t have anything going on today?”

    Keith let out a shaky breath, “Shiro’s cat… she got out earlier today when Matt opened the door to get a package being delivered to them, and since she’s an indoor cat I guess she wanted to explore a bit? But she didn’t come back so we started panicking and went outside to look for her, but we couldn’t find her and it started snowing and we got even _more_ scared so we all went out to look for her but we can’t find her _anywhere_ and it’s even scarier since Matt and Shiro live so close to downtown so she might’ve ended up here? But we still can’t find her-”

    “Woah woah woah, Keith! I’m gunna need you to slow down buddy,” Lance placed his hands on Keith’s shoulders firmly and looked him in the eyes, “Just breath. Calm down.”

    As soon as Lance felt Keith stop shaking so profusely, he tried to recount what Keith had told him, “So basically, Black got out of the house and hasn’t shown up since then? And you’re even more scared because it’s really cold outside and snowing?”

    Keith nodded, “And she’s Shiro’s therapy cat. I don’t know what we’re going to do if she’s just…”

“Ah! Nope! No, I know exactly what you’re going to say and I’m not going to let you say it,” Lance shushed Keith by waving a finger in his face, “She’s not gone, Keith. How long has it been since she left the house?”

    “I think about an hour or so ago?”

    “And it only started snowing how long ago?”

    “Like, fifteen minutes…? But Lance, an hour is still a long time-”

    “Noooo. Stop yourself. You’re thinking too much man. I get it, you’re scared, and Matt’s probably feelin’ guilty too, right? For being the one to let her out in the first place. Shiro’s definitely worried too. But you still need to be more chill and stop jumping to horrible conclusions,” Lance continued to look Keith stern in the face, carefully watching his expression.

    “...Did you just make a ‘Be More Chill’ reference? Like, the… the musical?” Keith asked.

    “Yuh.”

    “Oh my god, Lance,” Keith huffed out a laugh and reflexively brought up a hand to cover his smile.

    _Oh thank cheese, he’s happier now._

    “Alright, so here’s my advice. This has happened with Blue before too, and we were able to get her back by doing this, so you ready to take mental notes, Keithers?” Lance released Keith’s shoulders in exchange of propping one hand on his hip and his other continuing to waggle in front of Keith’s face as he listed off information.

    “So first of all, you should get some of Black’s favorite things- like toys, blankets, or even her bed- and leave them outside.”

    “Outside? But won’t they just get wet and cold if-”

    “Keeeeeith.”

    “Okay, sorry…”

    “Yeah, they’ll get cold and shit, but if Black has an attachment to those items, then she probs has her mark on them. Y’know, like her scent or whatever? And you should also put out her other favorite things, like food or treats or some shit. Literally, anything she has an attachment to.”

    “Okay? But, why?”

    “Cuz of their scent! If it’s what she left behind, then it’s familiar to her and stuff, so she’ll be attracted to it. We did that when Blue got out before, and it was also right before a storm? So we were all freaking out, and my mom looked like she was about to pass out any second! God, I felt so bad for laughing at her, but her face and the way she was walking around like a zombie,” Lance snickered, “It was pretty great.”

    “Wow,” Keith raised an eyebrow, “So, that’s it? That’s all you guys did?”

    “Pretty much? I mean, of course my siblings and I went out to look for her in the friggin rain, but then we got a call from our mom saying that she looked out at our porch to find Blue sitting in her bed with a toy in her mouth. It was wild.”

    “Okay then… I guess I’ll text Shiro and Matt to let them know? And I’m gunna go back now to set up the stuff outside. Oh, I should see if Shiro can get some chicken or something from the store,” Keith mumbled, partially to himself, as he pulled his phone from his pocket.

    Lance sighed happily, watching Keith continue to mutter unintelligibly to himself as he texted both Shiro and Matt, “Alright man. Black will show up, I promise she will. And if you don’t find her anytime soon, give me a call and I’ll get the whole gang to help out, okay? But I’ve gotta dash now too; I’m pretty sure Bella is getting impatient since I told her I’d go shopping with her. Apparently she wants to buy more of those fancy serving plates.”

    Keith looked up from his phone, a small pout on his face, “Oh, okay. I’ll see you later then? Or, I guess, talk later?”

    “Sure, man! Want me to tell Bella you said ‘hi’ or something?” Lance asked as he picked his coffee up off the table.

    “Yeah, tell her that she still owes me green tea kit-kats.”

    “Woah, did she lose a bet?”

    “Something like that. You could hardly call it a bet, since what we argued over was so insignificant, but we did put snacks on the line, so yeah.”

    “Sure, Mullet. Leavin’ now!”

    “Yeah, yeah I know! I’m going too- hey, hold the door!” Keith exclaimed as he hurried to slip through the closing door.

    Lance laughed when Keith grumbled a good-bye, waving when he turned to leave in the opposite direction from where Lance was headed.

    Lance watched Keith until he turned the corner and out of sight. Taking a quick sip of his coffee, Lance began walking towards the street his older sister told him to meet her, making sure to look around in case he were to catch a glimpse of Black.

    He nearly jumped when his phone vibrated in his pocket, but when he fished it out and checked the notification, Lance smiled to himself.

 

**Angsty Emo Anime Character:**

thanks again for the help man

i’ll text you later to tell you if black came home or not

**Me:**

i’ll be looking forward to that text then mullet!

**Angsty Emo Anime Character:**

stop calling me that

**Me:**

never

**.**

**.**

**.**

**Angsty Emo Anime Character:**

hey lance

guess what?

 _[_ _image sent_ _]_

**Me:**

i told you she’d come back ;)

**Angsty Emo Anime Character:**

yeah yeah whatever

thanks lance

**Me:**

anytime buddy

 

* * *

 

**3**

 

    “Wait… say that again?”

    “Shiro isn’t talking to Matt right now.”

    “Hooooly shit,” Lance wheezed, leaning over the table in both shock and amusement, “So you’re telling me that Shiro’s actually mad at Matt? Like, _actually_?”

    Keith sighed, “Unfortunately, yes. Shiro’s still upset about the incident with Black, which is understandable, but Matt has apologized so many fucking times and is desperate for Shiro to actually say a word to him. A single _word_ , Lance. And stop laughing dude, this is serious shit.”

    “I’m sorry! I can’t help it! Hohohooooly shit this is fucking hilarious-”

    “It’s not! It’s so bad that Matt’s staying with Pidge right now,” Keith started, only to be cut off by Lance’s uncontrollable laughter.

    “Keith, buddy, you’ve gotta stop talking or else I’m gunna die because I can’t fucking breathe,” Lance held up a hand in surrender, coughing as he tried to regain his composure.

    “You good?”

    “I’m good.”

    “Okay, because I need actual advice because Pidge refuses to get involved, so it’s up to me to be the mediator in this situation. I’m fucking clueless, and honestly kind of,” Keith became quiet and avoided looking in Lance’s direction. He fiddled with the plastic fork in his hand and poked at the tiramisu Lance bought for him moments earlier.

    “Kind of what?”

    “Kind of scared? Because this is the first time Shiro seems genuinely angry at Matt, which again, is understandable considering what happened, but they’ve never had this long of a break of communication. And since I’m the one who’s going back and forth between them and trying to get them to make up, I’m afraid I’ll say something wrong? And then I’ll make things _worse_ and then they’ll actually break up and-”

    “Woah, Keith, slow your horses. You’re jumping to insane conclusions again. Relax, buddy. Eat some of your tiramisu,” Lance frowned as he watched Keith continue to play with the tiramisu, making it look less of a yummy dessert and more of a mush of gross, “And stop playing with your food; I bought that for you, man.”

    “Sorry,” Keith said quietly, “I just don’t want to mess anything up. Shiro’s been so happy with Matt, you know? Matt’s been there through all the shit Shiro has gone through- hell, sometimes he gets to Shiro’s side quicker than I’m able to. They really care for each other, Lance, and I don’t know if I can actually help them out this time.”

    Lance studied Keith’s despairing expression before deciding to speak, “Well, first of all, you shouldn’t feel guilty for anything.”

    “What?”

    “Like, this honestly isn’t your problem, but you’re taking it into your own hands like it is. I get that this is your brother we’re talking about, and you’re also insanely close to Matt as well, but you’ve also gotta know that you can’t be like a relationship counselor for them. It’s one thing to be there for them, and another thing to feel like it’s your complete responsibility to fix this issue.

    “Cuz, it’s really not! This is between Shiro and Matt, and if you’ve tried to talk to them separately already and they’re still not on the same page, then it’s something they should settle between themselves. But if you still want some piece of advice to tell them, I guess I can give that to you?” Lance quirked an eyebrow, chuckling when Keith nodded with a bit more vigor than he expected.

    “Alright then, get your phone out so you can take notes.”

    “Wait, seriously?”

    “Yah.”

    Keith did as instructed, opening up ‘Notes’ and creating a new one. He looked up at Lance in confusion and curiosity as to what sort of ‘knowledge’ Lance was going to lay down.

    “Okay, so this is what I want you to tell Shiro… _grow the fuck up_!” Lance grinned devilishly when Keith flinched so hard he knocked his knees underneath the table.

    “Did you _have_ to say that so loudly? We’re in public, Lance.”

    “Yeah well, Shiro needs to grow the _fuck_ up! Like, from what I’m hearing, the only reason why they’ve stopped talking is because Shiro refuses to stop acting childish and actually accept Matt’s apologies. And I bet that Matt’s apologies are gross and cheesy and also rather pitiful, knowing him. Tell Shiro that he’s gotta get his head out of his ass, let the past stay in the past, and open his door to his boyfriend and give him a big fucking hug because Matt probably needs it.”

    “Is that it?”

    “And tell Matt to visit Shiro. He’s probably too scared to drop by again since he was basically kicked out. Assure him that it’s not his fault Shiro’s being an ass, since he’s already realized his mistake and apologized for it. That’s all,” Lance leaned forward in his seat, “Did you get that all down?”

    “Uhhh, the gist of it? Yeah,” Keith locked his phone and put it on the table face down to give Lance his full attention, “Thanks, Lance. I really didn’t know what to do. You really think Shiro will listen to me?”

    “He trusts you, man. You’re his brother for cryin’ out loud! And if he doesn’t, just hit me up and I’ll come storming down there with my mama’s slipper and we’ll see if he decides to act his age then.”

    “First of all, please don’t hit my brother with your mom’s slipper. And second, Shiro was born on a leap year.”

    “Whatever- his _mental_ age then. He thinks like a tired old man, but he’s still able to act like a little brat when he wants to.”

    “Stop dragging my brother, Lance.”

    “The smile on your face deceives your own statement.”

    “Ughhh, shut up,” Keith giggled, picking up his fork again, frowning when he realized what a mess he made out of his tiramisu.

    Lance simply encouraged Keith to finish his food so they could get out of there (“I paid good money for that y’know.” “Shut up, Lance.”), but the tight feeling in his chest made him want the opposite.

    “ _I want to stay like this forever_ ,” he thought, as he watched Keith uncertainly put a forkful of tiramisu in his mouth, laughing loudly when Keith refused to chew. These moments were good. Happy times. Good times.

    _I want us to stay like this forever._

 

* * *

 

**4**

 

    “Your cousin is coming to visit you?” Lance asked, taking a small bite of his muffin, careful to brush off the crumbs that fell into his lap.

    Keith groaned, the sound muffled behind his hands, which he was covering his face with, “Yeah, she is. It’s been forever since I’ve seen her, so my dad suggested that we all meet up at his place and catch up since he missed her too.”

“Aw that’s nice!”

“I guess? But the last time we talked, we weren’t exactly on good terms.”

    “So, this is actually a bad thing?”

    “Mhmm.”

    Lance hummed and licked his lips clean of crumbs before dabbing at his mouth with a napkin, “What exactly happened last time you guys met up then? Cuz I remember the whole deal with Auxia’s manipulative friend or whatever, but that blew over and got resolved, didn’t it?”

    “Yeah, it did. What happened between us was completely unrelated.”

    “Can I ask what that was then? You don’t gotta tell me though man, I completely get it if it’s too much of a touchy subject.”

    “No, I… I want to tell you. You always know the right thing to say, haha,” Keith laughed quietly to himself.

    The thumping in Lance’s chest was loud in his ears, which he was sure were becoming red, as he felt the heat rising to his face rather quickly. _He wants to tell me, huh? I always know the right thing to say… huh? You expect a lot from me. Dunno if I can live up to your expectations._

    “I know right? Maybe I should be a counselor or something, since I’m so good at it,” Lance joked.

    “Yeah, okay, you tell yourself that. Anyways, Acxa was going through some shit again. Like, relationship shit. I’m assuming you can already guess what road this is going to go down?”

    Lance frowned, “Yeahh, kinda. But go on, so I don’t misinterpret anything.”

    “Okay. So, you remember how she and Ezor had this thing going on before?”

    “Pfft, who can forget? It was kinda gross meeting them for the first time, since they danced around each other so awkwardly.” _As if I don’t relate. But at least their feelings were obviously mutual. Mine’s hopeless._

    “Also, does Rose seriously still go by ‘Ezor’? I swear she’s so edgy. Edgier than you and that’s scary, especially since she also acts rather charming,” Lance asked with genuine curiosity.

    “Yeah she does. And you know that whatever ‘charm’ she has is just so she gets more attention right? Not saying she’s really a bad person though…”

    “Nah, I getcha man. Keep going though; you didn’t spill the tea yet.”

    “Spill the… right, anyways,” Keith continued, “The last time I saw Acxa, she was apparently going through something with Ezor. They had a bad argument or something? I don’t really know the details because Acxa refused to tell me anything. She just asked me to act like normal, so that’s what I tried to do. But she just seemed so off and out of it, like, she didn’t participate in any conversation or pay attention to anything that was going on, even if it was ‘family bonding time’ or whatever my dad calls it.

    “She just seemed so miserable, so I tried to talk to her about it again. But I wasn’t trying to really pry or anything- all I asked was if she wanted to talk about how she felt. I didn’t ask her to tell me any major details, just if she wanted to say _anything_ about what she was feeling. Because I know how it feels to just keep it all in without saying anything and it fucking hurts. Talking to at least one person feels better, like talking to you.

    “But she was acting more hostile than usual, so she started raising her voice and got an attitude and shit. And you know me- I know I have an easy temper, but I said something really wrong to her and practically destroyed whatever closeness we had with each other. It was just because of one outburst but it was stupid of me to snap at her like that. Especially since she was feeling more sensitive at the time…”

    “Sooo, long story short, Auxie was going through some shit with Rosie and was real pissy. You tried to help her out but she was being stubborn, then you got mad and said something that you shouldn’t have, so noooow you guys aren’t on good terms but you have to hang out again?” Lance recapped.

    “Yeah, that’s pretty much it.”

    “Well, cheese-its. That’s pretty fucked up then ain’t it?”

    Keith only nodded sadly.

    “Hmm, I dunno how good of advice I can give you in this situation man. I mean, I’ve been in a similar one before- with ‘Llura actually, haha! But really, whatever advice I can give you right now, you have to figure out a way to incorporate it into whatever relationship you and Auxia have. Because I don’t know how you guys really view each other and shit.”

    “I get that. But I need whatever you can give me, Lance. I have no fucking clue what to do when she comes to visit.”

    _Whatever I can give you? Shit, could’ve phrased that any other way so I wouldn’t have immediately thought about holding your goddamn hand, you know._

    “Alright, I’ll play the role of the wise old man again.”

    “But you’re not old?”

    “I’m thinking of tropes, Keithers.”

    “Oh, okay.”

    “Aaanyways,” Lance shifted in his seat and took another bite of his muffin, “Lesh get into dis then.”

    Keith looked intently at Lance, his face so serious and intense it almost made Lance laugh and choke on his muffin.

    “So, from what I’m sensing, you’re seriously feeling guilty for whatever it was you said to Acxa before. It’s a good thing that you’re acknowledging it yourself, though, despite how guilty you’re feeling. To hold yourself as responsible for whatever mistake you’ve made isn’t a bad thing, and feeling guilty isn’t either when you’re rightfully in the wrong for something. But beating yourself over the head and treating yourself like garbage isn’t what you should do at all.

    “Sure, whatever you said was really shitty and hurt your cousin. You regret saying it. So instead of pitying yourself and moping over what you did, just think about how you can reconcile with Auxie. It’s been a while since you last saw each other right? What happened before is probably just water under the bus now.”

    “Isn’t it water under the bridge?”

    “Meh, it’s still under something that starts with a ‘b’.”

    “What…? Okay, well, I get that I should probably suck it up and move on like you’re saying, but I don’t know how to make up with her? Like, what am I supposed to say?”

    “This is where you’re going to hate my advice.”

    “Wha- why?”

    “Because all I’m going to tell you to do is apologize.”

    “... Wait, seriously? That’s it?”

    “Yuppers.”

    “Lance, there’s gotta be more that you can tell me.”

    “That’s the most I can do buddy! Because once you get the sincere apology out of the way, I can’t predict what’s going to happen afterwards! You’ve gotta figure out what to say in the moment.”

    “But, I can’t!” Keith exclaimed, a hand instinctively running through his hair, “I don’t know what to say to her! Because what if she gets mad at me again or if she just wants to leave as soon as I say sorry to her, and I ruin it for my dad. Or what if-!”

    “Keith! Listen to yourself for a second. You really need to get out of that headspace man, it’s messin’ up your thinking.”

    “Sorry…”

    “No, don’t be sorry. You can’t control that, I get it. But that really is all I can tell you to do. Apologies come naturally. Remember that issue with Matt and Shiro a little while back?”

    “Yeah?”

    “Well, it went the same way, didn’t it? Matt went to Shiro with only an apology planned. He had no way to predict how Shiro were to have reacted. It’s the same deal here. If you guys really care about each other, then the issue will settle itself without too many bumps in the road. And if it does go badly? Don’t immediately start blaming yourself again, because you made an effort to make amends with her. If Acxa doesn’t want to re-establish a connection, then don’t think it’s your fault. You tried, Keith. And you know that Auxie is nicer than that. She’ll be more considerate than whatever you’re expecting.”

Keith stayed silent for a few beats, bowing his head so that his bangs fell in front of his face. Lance leaned closer over the table in an attempt to find his eyes, and startled when Keith looked back up slightly. “And I’ve still got you, right?”

    Lance’s breath left him.

    “I’d still have you even if she didn’t accept my apology, right Lance?”

_Well shit. Hope you can’t hear my heart about to fucking thump out of my chest._

    “Duh. You don’t even have to ask, dummy. I’ll always be here for you, pal.”

    “Always?”

    “Always.”

    Keith sighed a breath of relief and sat upright in his seat, “Oh thank god. Thanks, Lance. You really helped me out… again.”

    “No worries man. Like I said, I’m here for you.”

    “Yeah, always.”

_Badump._

    “Exactly.”

    “I feel better about this already. I think… I think I’m actually looking forward to seeing Auxia again now? Yeah, I think I am. Oh, and do you think that she and Ezor settled whatever problem they had too?”

    “If it’s been this long? Most definitely. Bet they’ve been doing scandalous things too. Y’know, like holding hands.”

    “Lance-”

    “I know, I know, I’ll shut up. And I think I’m gunna go get another cup of coffee actually,” Lance said as he stood from his seat, picking up his empty mug, “You want anything, Keith?”

    Keith shook his head, “No, I’m good. I actually have to get going now, my dad needs me to help him with… something.”

    “Is it your dog?”

    “Yeah it is, actually. How’d you know?”

    “I remember the important stuff, you know that Keith.”

    “Didn’t think you’d consider Rosie that important, considering you called her a ‘demon dog’ the last time you saw her, but thanks again Lance. I’ll text you later!” Keith said, pulling his coat back on and wrapping his scarf around his neck.

    “In my defense she was acting up that day! And yup! Later, buddy!” Lance waved from where he stood in line to Keith as he left the coffee shop, the door jingling when it closed.

    …

    The coffee that Lance ordered didn’t taste as sweet as it usually did. Without Keith around, it was horribly bitter.

 

* * *

  
**5**

 

    “Rosie… what?”

    “She’s sick. Again. I don’t know what happened this time but she just,” Keith groaned in frustration, angrily taking a sip of his coffee, “I just came over and my dad wouldn’t open the door for me. So I had to get the spare key from his mailbox, and I was ready to ask him why he wouldn’t open the door for me when it’s freezing outside, but then I saw him on the floor sitting next to Rosie, who was panting and laying on her side. We picked her up and brought her to the vet, but they still haven’t told us much about her condition.”

    “Geez. Your dad even took her to the vet recently, didn’t he?” Lance questioned, warming his hands on his own cup of coffee.

    “Yeah, he did. Which is why I’m so confused and honestly fucking scared because they would’ve found something wrong with her then, right? Unless my dad’s keeping something from me just because he doesn’t want me to worry, but even if that _were_ the case, I’d still be pissed off because this just makes me even more worried about Rosie! Fuck, I’m so stressed out.”

    “The past few weeks have seemed unrelenting to you, man. If you need another cup of coffee, it’ll be on me cuz I feel bad that you’re going through all this.”

    “No, _please_ don’t feel sorry for me. I’ll just like more of a burden. And besides, Rosie is old anyways, I should’ve expected this sooner rather than later. I’m just being selfish again because I just want Rosie to live longer so I can play with her and shit,” Keith gently knocked his head on the table a few times, his initial energetic anger dwindling into complete dejection and accept of loss. Lance didn’t like seeing Keith like that.

    “Keith, again with the blaming yourself? C’mon man, there’s gotta be something else out there you can blame.”

    “Nah.”

    Lance huffed in slight annoyance, still more concerned about Keith than anything, “Keith, come _on_. It’s not selfish of you to want your pet to live longer. Remember before, when my sister’s dog, Luis, was on his deathbed? I was fucking bawling man- I mean more than my niece and nephew were. It’s not selfish at all; it’s a natural thing to want something you really care about last longer.”

    “Yeah, but-”

    “Keith!” Lance cried, exasperated. His eyebrows furrowed upwards in worry when he saw Keith flinch and curl up further within himself, making him seem even smaller.

    “Keith, sorry for raising my voice, but you’ve gotta stop… actually, no. I’m not about to just tell you to stop feeling bad about yourself, because I know that it’s impossible to change something about yourself in the flip of a switch. And I’m sure you’ve already heard that many times before- definitely from Shiro.”

    Keith grumbled something unintelligible, but Lance judged it as a sound of agreement.

    “And I’m also sure you’ve had enough of me saying that it’s not your fault, but it seems like I have to reiterate it again. It’s _not_ . Your _fault_ , Keith. No matter how you might blame yourself for all this shit happening in your life right now, _no one else_ sees you as the blame!”

    “But what about Acxa-”

    “She’s just one person!” Lance’s voice raised again, “And you haven’t even seen her yet, so all you’re basing this off of is what you think might happen.”

    “But what if it does?”

    “Are you a fortune teller, Keith? A witch? Can you see into the future?”

    “No, but-”

    “No buts!” Lance sighed when Keith recoiled even further into a roly-poly like version of himself. “Fine, then what about this.”

    Lance placed a hand on Keith’s shoulder, successfully shocking him into lifting his head off the table. Keith looked up at Lance through his bangs, his eyes flickering back and forth as if searching for something written in his expression.

    “Keith. How do you think I see you?”

    Lance was met with silence.

    “ _Keith_. What kind of person do you think I see you as?”

    “... A burden.”

    “Why?”

    “Because all I do is go to you when I have problems and need advice.”

    “Even when I’ve already told you that I’ll always be there for you?”

    “You could just be saying that because you pity me.”

    “Why do you think I pity you?”

    “Because you’re better than me!”

    “Why am I better than you?”

    “Because you give really good advice!”

    “Why does that make me better than you?”

    “ _Because_ ,” Keith slammed his hands on the table, “you know what to do when I don’t! You have better control over my life than _I_ do! I don’t get it! I know you don’t have your life put together either, I know you don’t. But you always act so fucking cool when you give me advice and that’s not fucking _fair_ , damnit!”

    Keith gripped at his hair in frustration, gritting his teeth together, “Fuck, why am I like this?”

    Lance shook as he watched Keith break down in front of him, the pressure building up rather quickly. He wanted to open his mouth to say something, but he was too afraid that one of the many scary thoughts running through his head would slip out instead.

_I’m not better than you, I’m worse than garbage. I’m not cool, I’m fucking annoying. How do you see me as this type of person when I’m nothing? I’m trash. I’m insignificant. You’re cool. You’re amazing. You’re sweet, kind, compassionate, adorable. You’re imperfect, but you’re perfect. I like you. I really like you. I…_

    “Keith, I appreciate how you think of me, but you put me on a pedestal. Honestly, I don’t know why you do, no matter how much you can try to tell me. But I can assure you that I do _not_ see you as a burden, and I never have. I don’t blame you for the shit that’s been going on lately, and I genuinely want to be there for you. I don’t see it as a chore, and I don’t do it out of pity. I do it as a friend.”

    Keith stopped grinding his teeth together and pulling at his hair in exchange for studying Lance’s expression. “You’re my friend.”

_Fuck, that word hurts._

    “Yeah. And I’m here for you as that.”

    Keith seemed to lighten up at that, letting out a held breath and softening his own expression slightly, “Thanks, Lance. Again. Fuck, I don’t know how you do it, but you’re really good at cheering people up and giving them advice. Maybe you really _should_ consider becoming a therapist or something.”

    Lance smiled, “I dunno. I think I’m set with my one patient here.”

    “I’m not… too much, am I?”

    “You? Nah, I’m just too lazy to see that many people in one day.”

    “Well, good for me? I guess? Haha,” Keith chuckled, looking down at his coffee, “I really am thankful though, Lance. This month has been bearable thanks to you, so uh… I guess what I’m trying to say is that, if you have anything you wanna get off your chest, like venting or something? I probably won’t be able to give you the greatest advice, but I can help a little? It really does help just to talk about shit like this to someone else.”

    Lance bit the inside of his cheek in thought, “Alright. I’ll take you up on that offer.”

    “Great! I mean, cool,” Keith tried to play it off, taking a long drink from his coffee.

    “Yeah, cool,” Lance smirked, prodding fun at him.

    “Shut up.”

    “Will do,” Lance picked up his cup of coffee, “Wanna cheers?”

    Keith arched an eyebrow, “For what?”

    “We successfully had our first friend fight in a public place, and resolved it without anyone asking us to leave! I’d say that’s pretty ‘cheers’ worthy.”

    “... I’m pretty sure that’s not how that works.”

    “Just clink the mugs together, Keith.”

    The rest of their evening spent at the coffee shop was warm, and even when Keith received a call from his dad to meet him at the vet, he was able to leave with a smile still on his face.

    Lance considered it a mini victory. Although, the background chatter from the rest of the cafe was loud and annoying, ringing in his ears. It made it difficult for Lance to properly sort out his thoughts. Then again, the only thing that resounded within his mind was a single sentence he was afraid of admitting.

_I love him._

 

* * *

 

** 1 **

 

**Me:**

hey keith

you doin anything rn?

**Angsty Emo Anime Character:**

no not now

we just came back from dropping auxia off at the airport

**Me:**

oh really? did y’all have fun this weekend??

**Angsty Emo Anime Character:**

yeah it went well

rosie was really excited to see her again

it was really cute to see her tail wagging that quickly

**Me:**

awww make sure she knows she’s a good girl

**Angsty Emo Anime Character:**

oh she knows

auxia made sure of that

**Me:**

good good

hey so if ur not doing anything rn….

you wanna hang out the the coffee shop?

i’m getting coffee rn soooo

and i’ve got nothin to do

**Angsty Emo Anime Character:**

sure i’ll head over there now

be there in five or so

and get me a coffee

**Me:**

caramel macchiato gud enough for u?

**Angsty Emo Anime Character:**

yeah that’s fine thanks

see you in a bit

**Me:**

see yaaa

 

    “Well shit,” Lance thought out loud, shoving his phone back into his pocket. He tapped his foot on the ground anxiously as he stood in line, his mind racing of the possible ways Keith would react to what Lance was going to say to him. All were coming up negative.

    “Chill the fuck out, Lance. You’ve confessed to people before. You’ve faced rejection before! Why the fuck are you so scared right now?” Lance scolded himself under his breath, mentally wracking at his head.

    In reality, he knew why he was so scared. It was because Keith was more than just some stranger from a bar, more than the most attractive person at work or college, and more than a lucky fling during summer break who Lance would never have to see again. Keith was his friend. And was honestly fighting Hunk for the title of best friend. Which was a little scary.

    But thinking about losing his friendship with Keith was even scarier.

    Lance’s nervous foot-tapping wouldn’t stop even as he ordered his and Keith’s coffee, and standing at the pick up station was even more nerve wracking, since he could see out the windows even better standing there. Lance kept looking back and forth, down the sidewalk then at the barista for the drinks, afraid that Keith would get to the coffee shop before Lance could sit down and calm his nerves.

    Thankfully, the barista was quicker and handed Lance the drinks with time to spare before Keith’s arrival. Lance took a seat at the more secluded table, tucked into the furthest corner of the shop, and had an inkling that Keith would question him as to why he chose to sit there out of all places when there were other tables available.

    As Lance was thinking up excuses in his head to refute the probable question, the entrance door jingled, shocking him into looking up.

    “Hey, Keith!” Lance held up a hand to wave him over, smiling when Keith took the seat opposite of him.

    “Hey, Lance. Why’d you sit here? There’s other tables that are free up closer to the front?”

_Ha, I knew it._

    “Meh, it’s around lunch time, so people will probably start coming in. Don’t wanna sit close to the door and have cold air blast at us every time someone else comes in or out,” Lance lied, surprisingly easily.

    “You’ve got a point. Oh, and thanks for the coffee; how much was it?”

    “It’s on me buddy.”

    “But you always treat me to stuff here, at least let me repay you for _something_ ,” Keith pursued, but Lance shook his head.

    “It’s my decision to spend my money on you, dude. You’ve seemed to really need it lately, so it’s really nothing. But, uh, that’s kind of related to why I asked you to come over here? Um…”

Keith tilted his head in curiosity before taking a sip of his coffee, “What’s up?”

“I need advice,” Lance began, “Like… _boy_ advice.”

“... And you think that I’m the person you should ask about this?”

“Look, I know it’s weird to come to you for this, but I can’t go to any of the others for good enough advice! Shiro and Matt might be the most experienced, but they’re also gross and biased. And if I went to ‘Llura, she’ll just make fun of me? Same with Pidge, but I wouldn’t ever go to Pidge for this shit because she doesn’t give a fuck about it. And Hunk would probably end up talking about Shay, or something…,” Lance’s voice trailed off. _More like he’ll pity me for having a hopeless crush on Keith._

    “O… kay? I mean, Hunk would probably still be the better person to go to, or even Shay herself but… I’ll see what I can do? After all, I do owe you for all the stuff you’ve helped me out with during the past month,” Keith said, still uncertain about the situation he was put in.

    Lance’s leg began to bounce underneath the table, and he took a small breath before speaking, “Alright, so here’s the deal. I like this guy, and I want to tell him, but I have no idea if he likes me back or not, and I don’t want to ruin whatever relationship I have with him now.”

    “‘Whatever relationship’?”

    “I mean, we’re friends. But sometimes I get confused? Because he gets kinda personal with me- and he’s been even more so lately. I don’t want to be misinterpreting anything, so I’m scared to tell him? And even if I do end up getting rejected, I’m afraid we’ll never be able to return to how we used to be because he’ll probably feel uncomfortable and shit,” Lance let himself ramble on. He knew that Keith was horribly oblivious to things like this, so Lance felt comfortable enough to explicitly describe him without worrying about Keith putting the pieces together.

    “Huh. Wait so, how long have you guys known each other?”

    “A long time. We didn’t start off on the right foot either; it took a while for us to actually become friends.”

    Keith wrinkled his nose in deep thought with a little pout, a tick of his that Lance found incredibly cute. Lance bit his bottom lip in order not to smile, but he knew that his eyes probably grew soft. Not that Keith would be able to tell anyway.

    “Can you, I dunno, tell me more about how you feel about this guy? Like, why do you like him?” Keith inquired, his chin now held between his thumb and index finger.

    “I meaaan,” Lance felt his face heat up, and he fiddled with the cuffs of his sweater.

    “Shit, wait- you don’t have to if that makes you uncomfortable. Sorry, you probably don’t want to say that embarrassing stuff,” Keith said hurriedly, obviously feeling sorry for asking what he did.

Lance was also quick to wave him off, “Nah, it’s okay. It is embarrassing though, haha. But ummm… Well, when I first started liking him, it was for the usual crush sorta stuff. Like, I thought that he was really attractive and cute and stuff. I used to think his personality was shit, but then we had to hang out because of our other friends, and I started to realize that he’s not actually a bad guy. And I _also_ started to realize that I actually liked his personality, which shocked me.

    “So I did what every hopeless high school girl who has a crush does: I annoyed the fuck out of him because it was fun, and his reactions were really fucking adorable. But then he started realizing that I was just joking with him instead of actually hating on him or whatever, so it turned into something more playful? Then we became friends and I was content with that. It meant I got to be around him a lot and see his weirdly attractive impulsiveness and assertiveness.

    “But then, I started seeing this other side of him? He came to me about his problems and shit, and I got to see him without any of his walls up. He was vulnerable around me, so that more strong-willed attitude that I got familiar with became confusing. And he kept on coming to see me when he was struggling with shit, and it made me realize just how much I hate seeing him look so fucking sad. I just want to see him happy.”

    “... And?”

    “So I think that’s what prompted me into finally admitting to myself that I’m fucking head over heels for this guy, and I really want to confess to him but I have no idea how he’ll react. But that doesn’t change the fact that I just want to be his boyfriend and hold his hand and cuddle and all that good shit”

    Keith’s expression was unreadable. His arms were crossed, and he held an incredible poker face that Lance just couldn’t understand. There was no way Keith would’ve figured it out though; he was way too dense for that! But his facial expression was just so concerning to Lance that the speed which his knee was bouncing at accelerated to an even higher velocity.

_Talk, fucking say_ something _. Please, just say anything._

    “You really seem to care about this guy, huh?” Keith finally spoke up. Although his words brought some comfort back to Lance, Keith’s face was still unreadable and concerning. Lance couldn’t let himself relax just yet.

    “Yeah, I do.”

    “What do you think would happen if you _were_ to confess to him?”

    “I really dunno. Cuz, obviously I want it to be a positive reaction and all, but my brain just goes straight to the negative possibilities. I know for a fact that he’s one-hundred-percent gay though, so there’s nothing to worry about there. I’m just afraid that no matter what the outcome is, we won’t be able to continue to be what we were before.”

    “Well, it seems like this guy really trusts you too, though. If he’s coming to you when he’s upset about shit, then he knows that he can be comfortable being weak around you. He also probably knows how much you care. I’d say he might have intentions other than friendship, too.”

    Lance paused, “Wait. Seriously?”

    “Yeah, I think so.”

_Badump. Badump._

    “Shit,” Lance whispered to himself, looking down to avoid any eye contact with Keith. The blood was rushing to his cheeks quickly, making his head feel rather light and loopy. His heart was palpitating rapidly in his chest, and he placed a hand over his chest as if it could silence the loud thumping.

_Fuck this. I’m excited now._

    Lance let out a loud sigh before looking back up to re-establish eye contact with Keith, “Y’know what? I think I’m going to tell him.”

    “That you like him?”

    “Nah. That I love him,” Lance bit his bottom lip and placed both hands firmly on the table so he could lean over it while keeping it stable.

    “I love you.”

    “... Wait, I thought that you were going to tell the… the guy?”

    “I _am_ telling him. Keith, I love you,” Lance said with conviction. Although he felt as though his heart was going to actually beat so fast that it would kill him, Lance wanted the message to get across without any misunderstanding. _I love you, you idiot. Get it through your head._

    But when Lance was just met with silence and Keith refusing to look at him, whatever confidence he had slowly began to dwindle away.

    “Keith?” He asked gently, only to be startled when Keith sat straight up in his seat.

    “I think I like someone too!” He exclaimed, his voice hoarse.

    Lance felt as if all the breath was knocked right out of his lungs. His chest hurt. His head began throbbing. He felt his hands start to shake from where they were still firmly placed on the table, but Lance still leaned back in his own chair when he finally regained the breath to be able to respond, “What do you mean?”

    “There’s been this guy who I’ve known for a long time too. He’s nice, and funny, and kind. But he can also be real dumb at times. He used to flirt so obviously with every single being other than me, and would endlessly poke fun at me, and it was so _fucking_ annoying! But then suddenly he just stopped doing all that shit and began treating me like a genuine person. It was nice. He was way nicer than I ever thought he could be. And we became friends, and I got comfortable.

    “But then all this shit started happening to me because life’s a _bitch_ , and I didn’t know what to do all by myself. I didn’t want to bother other people I care about because I felt like they just wouldn’t get it or be able to help me much. But then I thought of _him_ , so I went to him and vented about my shit for some fucking reason. But then it turns out my impulsive ass was right because he’s an amazing, trustworthy person! Big shocker!

    “So I kept going back to him for help, and I already knew that I liked him before hell decided to literally launch itself at me for a month. But with every moment I spent with him at this fucking coffee shop, the more I realized how much I love being by his side how I never want to fucking leave it. I’ve never fallen in love before. But there’s no other way I can describe what I’m feeling towards him than _love_. And I’m fucking scared to admit it, but I still want to. Lance? Is this love?” Keith looked at him with a desperate expression, his eyes glossy with tears and his cheeks red from getting riled up.

    Lance was still frozen in shock. Every word that left Keith’s mouth were still resounding in his ears, making them ring. Lance was brought back to reality when he noticed that the table was shaking from both his and Keith’s nervous jitters.

    “Lance?” Keith asked again, his voice quiet and gentle.

    “I think,” Lance began to answer, “I think it is.”

    “Then, I love you. I fucking love you, Lance. I also want to be your boyfriend and hold your hand and cuddle and do all of the cheesy things Matt and Shiro do. I want to be with you, Lance,” Keith rambled, the tears in his eyes beginning to fall.

    Lance panicked and placed his hands on Keith’s cheeks, using his thumbs to brush the tears away. He could feel the warmth of Keith’s cheeks, as well as his fingers when Keith gently wrapped them around Lance’s wrists.

    “I really fucking love you, Lance.”

    “I really fucking love you too, Keith,” Lance smiled as reassuring as he could. He was sure this was the happiest he’d ever felt, especially when Keith smiled back sweetly, the corners of his eyes crinkling cutely.

    Lance continued to stare lovingly into Keith’s eyes, a thumb still gently brushing over his cheek.

    “Hey, Lance?” Keith asked.

    “Mhmm?”

    Keith’s eyes flickered downward, and that was the only sign Lance needed to make a move. He brushed Keith’s bangs from his face and leaned over the table slowly, tilting his head to the left slightly.

    Every single cell in Lance’s body felt as if it were shocked with electricity when Keith’s lips slotted perfectly with his own. It was everything Lance had ever thought it could be. It was soft and tender, but there was still uncertainty with how gentle it was. It was a rush. It was perfect.

    When they pulled apart, Lance laughed when he noticed how Keith chased after the kiss, Keith’s eyes fluttering open as if he were surprised that it already ended.

    “Did you know you taste like coffee?” Lance smirked.

    “Well, duh. We’re drinking coffee right now, Lance.”

    “Yeah, but still.”

    “Ugh, you’re impossible,” Keith replied, but a goofy smile was still on his face.

_God, we’re going to be such an embarrassing couple. It’s going to be great._

    “So, I guess we’re boyfriends now.”

    “Seems like we are.”

    “I’ve got to change your contact information now. It’s been ‘Angsty Emo Anime Character’ for wayyy too long.”

    “You seriously didn’t change it for that long?”

    “At least it has more character than just using someone’s name.”

    “What? It’s practical and easy to remember who you are.”

    “Whatever floats your boat, Keithers.”

    Lance giggled once more when Keith pouted, “Aw, c’mon. You know I’m kidding, sweetheart!”

    “Oh, no- you are not already starting with the pet names.”

    “Embrace it, honey.”

    “Shut _up_ , Lance!” Keith hit him playfully on the shoulder.

    Lance continued to laugh joyously while Keith hit him with light fists. Finally, the anxious thoughts in his head could disappear, because Keith was actually _with_ him. They were actually _together_. And if their previous relationship would be impossible to maintain because of the whole ‘boyfriends’ title, Lance would be okay with that. Because they’d be something even closer and more domestic. Everything would work itself out, Lance knew of that.

    And he was already excited to take Keith on many dates and go to many different places.

    But he was even more excited for the many moments and memories that they’d share right there in the coffee shop. Besides, that’s where it all started. Who said it ever had to end?

 

**Author's Note:**

> :D  
> Fun fact, this is actually the first fic I've ever completed. I need to git gud.


End file.
